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The Bowgie Inn hosts a virtual live gig

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Published
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5:41pm 14th April 2020.

As we enter the third week in lockdown and with no set date on when coronavirus restrictions will be lifted, The Bowgie Inn, Crantock, has taken it upon themselves to make sure we’re all kept entertained at home!

On Bank Holiday Monday, The Bowgie co-hosted a live gig with Black Velvet Irish Music, with over 20,000 people all over the country and even the world tuning in.

We are determined to spread positivity and enjoyment at a time which is challenging us all. We are constantly thinking of new and fun ways to make people smile in the current circumstances - so we’re using our online platforms to do just that!

After being approached by several pubs who are missing their customers and live music nights, Emma from Black Velvet decided to collaborate with landlords and landladies to live stream from home! It was a huge success and at one stage we had over 8,600 live viewers with some watching from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Spain and Ireland! People were sending in photos of their families dancing in the kitchen so the band could get the atmosphere of everyone enjoying it at home!

Sally Pickles, Owner of The Bowgie Inn

Fans commented throughout the gig requesting their favourite songs, reminiscing about previous gigs and making pacts about buying drinks for each other when the lockdown is over.

“It was such a wonderful community of people enjoying live music online - it’s something that everyone misses greatly and we think it’s little occasions like this which keep people smiling!” continued Sally. “Since the restrictions began over 3 weeks ago, Black Velvet have been unable to do their usual live music performances, but because they are one family and are on lockdown together, setting up a stage in their home and live streaming seemed like a fantastic idea.”

The live stream was co-hosted by over a dozen Cornish pubs in which Black Velvet regularly play including the City Inn Truro, White Hart in St Teath, The Ship in Padstow and Haywood’s Cider Farm. “It really was a community event bringing everyone together for a night of traditional Irish folk music. People were also able to put money in a virtual tip jar for the band which is great way for musicians to sustain some income whilst on lockdown, as many are self employed and may not be eligible for any financial help from the government at this time of crisis."

Emma Murfin from Black Velvet said, “Not only were we live streaming, we were also raising money for the NHS with a fundraising link encouraging donations throughout our gig. It has been amazing knowing that we have cheered up so many people and raised money at the same time. We had a lot of messages from people who would ordinarily see us at our gigs in pubs across the county who were really missing the vibrant live music scene here. So a live stream gig seemed like a fantastic idea and a great way to support our NHS in the process!”

Black Velvet played lots of popular and old favourite Irish numbers including Drunken Sailor, Wild Rover, Belle of Belfast City, Galway Girl and Whiskey in the Jar.

As well as the Black Velvet gig, The Bowgie also hosted a ‘throwback’ to its Friday Grunge Discos - an iconic music night in the late eighties and early nineties. They're also continuing their daily live streams of the beach on their Facebook page - another way of helping people feel uplifted during the pandemic.

“As a pub at the heart of the community, it’s so important for us to keep people together and spirits high. We may not be able to welcome customers here, so we’re finding other ways to spread Bowgie joy!” added Sally.